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← Udāna

A Lay Follower

Ud 2.5 · Upāsakasutta

Open Tibetan plateau beneath a distant snowy mountain range.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time a certain lay follower from Icchānaṅgalaka arrived at Sāvatthī on some business. Having concluded his business in Sāvatthī he went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said this to him: “It’s been a long time, lay follower, since you took the opportunity to come here.”

“For a long time I’ve wanted to come and see the Buddha, but I wasn’t able, being prevented by my many duties and responsibilities.”

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“One who has nothing is happy indeed, a learned person who has appraised the teaching. See how troubled are those with attachments, a person bound tight to people.”

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Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato · SuttaCentral · CC0

This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.

Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader.

The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.